Aldor
Aldor For a lot of people, after the fall of Cearis, there was darkness and hopelessness. For some places, the evil barely touched it, others were completely overtaken by it. In the aftermath, there was even more chaos and the emperor had many sleepless nights fixing things. From the ashes, Aldor rose. Once ruled by a Lord who was suspicious of magic and was greedy, he was taken over by Cearis’s magic and slain by a girl of purity, Lord Telios’s sister. After the battle Telios had to go home to protect his sister and straighten things out with the end result he presided over the city. In his rulership, the city has blossomed, magic, technology, and old superstition have blended into a unique city. While most of Dophia holds magic in suspicion, this city is filled with it, it radiates magic. Aldor has become an important step in the evolution of Ithia’s future, should it fall or things go bad, some mystics and wise men believe Dophia, if not Ithia, will be set back many years. Royal Family Telios is the emporer’s cousin, one of many. His sister has aged into a beautiful woman, of the marrying age, but has not been married off, as Telios has given her freedom. Many suitors pay visits, but the quiet woman has not yet answered to any of them. Telios’s magic has kept him from ageing, as what happens with most successful wizards and mages, and he will outlive his sister. Order of Things The city is fair and people live a generally free life. Freedom of speech is permitted, the practise of magic is permitted in designated areas (usually protected by warding circles, so if things should go wrong, only that area is affected), and now, the scandal of all things, people have risen above their caste without marrying. This city if very progressive like Evangelis, and the Lord must deal with a growing issue of not enough housing. Generally, if you behave, you will find no trouble with the law. However, there are laws. Stealing from the library will end you up as an indentured servant, since there are more rare and ancient books in the library, though this library is not as large and grandiose as Evangelis’s library. Casting magic outside of designated areas for any reason will end you up with a fine, the penalty for murder is death, the penalty for stealing varies, from fine to indentured servitude to time in the dungeons. Gender roles have mixed in the city so women aren’t expected to act or dress a certain way. However, Telios being as vain as he is, the nobles imitate him and are always well dressed and in formal attire. Outside the court though the freedom of expression runs rampad here. Everyone has their own personalities. Women can now be head of households and they can divorce, a scandal among Dophia, though Evangelis adapted this before Aldor ever did. General Description Since the gradual change of the city started, the city blocks have changed as well. No longer ordered by caste, it now is more or less ordered by function. There is the guild block, the market block, the adventurer’s block, the tradesman and craftsman block, and so on and so forth. This allows for a gradual, more smooth transition as the years go by and needs change. The adventurer’s block is the roughest part of the city and the city guard is heaviest here. The thieves’ guild is ramped here and the taverns are loud and rowdy. There is no magic permitted on this block for obvious reasons, but it doesn’t stop weapons from flying. Many of the taverns here have secret passageways and trap doors to the sewers beneath, so it is not uncommon to wake up in your room in the inn and be surrounded and be robbed. This is a gnawing problem brought to Telios’s attention often, but what can anyone do? There is a magical school open to anyone here, sort of. The fee is not cheap and someone seeking entry must pass Telios’s famed test. This ensures only those who are generally good in character gain access and someone who is capable of magic is entered. Out of the many applicants, less then a handful ever make entry, and even less then that ever finish the testing. Even if a person should learn of magic, there is no guarantee they will ever master it, and this has left quite a few scholars of magic who have no ability of themselves. The entry fee pays for the school, the library that is open to everyone, and then goes back to the city for city expenses like roads, buildings, and the pay to the city guards. The taxes here are slightly higher but the city is better looked after. Few people complain except the greedy and the merchants. The city is extremely stable in commerce. The different gathering of different peoples that have come here has created a stable trade society. Merchants come in with goods from far away, sell it to the locals, the locals sell their own goods to the merchants, and the visitors and adventurers who come add to the economy. The only unique thing this city produces is knowledge. If you seek something, you either will come to Aldor or Evangelis to find information. The technology level here is moderate. In the gnome block there is technological things for sale at a severely high price. Gnomes have updated the palace so that there is running water and plumbing. A few bath houses have started up and rake in a ton of cash. However, most people don’t have running water or plumbing, still using their privy’s. Still, the practice of throwing human waste out your window has been made illegal so disease does not run too ramped here. Telios is allied with the Emporer.